Colts Cut Ed Johnson Hours After Pot Arrest

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Ed Johnson was arrested for marijuana possession today, and as a result he'll be out of work tomorrow.

The Colts have decided to waive Johnson, who had been warned that he was already on a short leash because of off-field trouble when he was at Penn State, where Joe Paterno suspended him three different times. Colts President Bill Polian spelled it out in a statement that the team gave to the Indianapolis Star:

"We consider every violation of a team rule or NFL policy on an individual case-by-case basis. If club discipline is appropriate, we consider the past record of the individual involved and the extent to which team rules were violated when imposing penalties.

"In this particular case, Ed was well aware that his past history required him to be in complete compliance with club rules. He was repeatedly told this during the off-season. Along with his teammates, he was reminded as recently as yesterday of coach Dungy's rules of behavior. Unfortunately, he chose to violate those rules.

"Given the circumstances surrounding Ed's original employment with the Colts, we feel in this case that we have no choice but to take this action."

Johnson was a pleasant surprise for the Colts, starting all 17 games as an undrafted rookie last season, and it wouldn't be surprising if a team in need of a defensive tackle claims him off waivers. But for now, he doesn't have a home in the NFL.